Cyclometer



(Nq Model.) 3 Sh'eetS-Sheet 1. o. T. HIGGINBOTHAM.

. CYGLOMETER.

No. 576,967. 1 n x Patented Fe b.9,1897.

WITNESSE INVENTOR ATTORNEYI (No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

C. T. HIGGINBOTHAM.

GYGLOMBTER.

'mi "Gams Fe'rzns co.. maremma., WASHINGTON, D. c.

C. T. HIGGINBOTHAM.

3 sheetssheet 3.

GYGLOMETBR.

(No Model.)

No. 576, .JL Patented Feb. 9, 1897.

ATTORNEY UNrrEn STATES PATENT rrrcn.

CHARLES T. HIGGINBOTHAM, OF THOMASTON, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNORTO THE SE'IHTHOMAS CLOCK COMPANY, OF CONNECTICUT.

CYCLOiVI ETER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 576,967, dated February9, 1897.

` Application led August 22,1896. Serial Nol 603,574. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t 711mg/ concer/1,:

Be it known that I, CHARLES T. HIGGIN- BOTHAM, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Thomaston, in the county of Litchiield, State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCyclomet'ers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactspecification.

This invention relates to new and useful 1o improvements in cyclometers.

The object is to provide in a device of this character mechanism forindicating the number of milestraveled by the vehicle up to apredetermined number, which mechanism i5 may be reset to zero, asdesired, whilev at the same time by an additional means the total numberis registered of miles traveled up to another and much largerpredetermined number. In other words, while the whole diszo tancetraveled by the vehicle is made and preserved the operator is at libertyto reset a portion of the device at any time at Zero to register eachparticular trip or portion thereof or to register distance covered in agiven time.

My invention consists in the special arrangement and construction ofparts hereinafter fully described.

In the drawings, Figure l is a face view of 3o my improved cyclometershown on an enlarged scale. Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same. Fig. 3 isa side elevation thereof. Fig. 4 is a section on line oc of Fig. l, withcertain parts removed. Fig. 5 is a section on line yy of Fig. l, withsimilar parts removed. Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9, and lO are views of details.Fig. 1l is a face view of the interior mechanism. Fig. 12 is a rearelevation of the register-disks. Fig. 13 is a .section of Fig. l2.

4o Fig. let is a detail, and Fig. 15 is a section of Fig. l-i. y

Similar letters refer to similar parts.

A represents a casing containing the working parts of the device andprovided, as

4 5 shown, bya transparent cover B2 for the protection of the internalmechanism. C is a shaft revolubly mounted in the casing at C andcarrying on its outer end the star-wheel D and on its inner end thepinion E, Figs. 4

and 1l. The star-wheel D is operated in the 5o usual manner by one ofthe wheels of the vehicle to which the cyclometer is attached in anyWell-known manner, and it isl designed to rotate step by step aninternally-toothed ratchet ring or wheel F through the medium v of theeccentrically-mounted pawl F. This pawl F' may be mounted directly onthe shaft C, but I prefer to mount it, as shown in the drawings, on astud f, having a gear-wheel thereon meshing with said pinion E.

In a suitable bearing a is mounted the central arbor G, extendingthrough the casing and carrying at one extremity the indicatorhand G andhaving at the other end outside the casing the head c, by which the handG' 6 5 may be manually turned in one direction or the other. Theautomatic movement of the arbor G is accomplished by means of thecrosspiece H, which is in frictional engagement with said arbor, asshown in Fig. ll, said 7o cross-head being connected with the ring F bythe stud H'. Thus a complete rotation of the ring F causes a completerotation of the arbor G and indicating-hand G'. Manual operation of thehand G' by means of the head 75 gdoes not affect the other parts of thededevice except as hereinafter described, inasmuch as the connectionbetween the arbor G and the cross-head H is merely frictional.

A toothed abutment-wheel .I is fiXedly se- 8o cured to the casing A, asshown, Fig. 5. A gear-wheel K is revolubly mounted on the arbor G andhas an elongated hub extending through a stationary disk B. H2 H3 aregearwheels of equal diameter and tiXedly mounted on a revolu ble shaftH4, so as to move as one pinion. These Wheels are located one on eachside of the cross-head H, by preference. The wheels H2 H3 engage Withthe gear-wheels K J, respectively. The diameters of the latter 9o are bypreference equal, but the wheel K has a slightly greater number of teeththan the stationary wheel J. Therefore the rotation of the cross-headcauses the wheel H3 of the pinion tov roll in the teeth of theabutmentwheel J, and thus revolve, through the medium of the wheel H2 ofthe pinion, the wheel K a distance proportionate to the difference inthe numbers ot' the gear-teeth on said wheels K J, the principle beingthat ot` the differential gear.

Mounted on the stationary disk I3 is a revoluble disk M of a lessdiameter than the disk B and having suitable gradnations around itsperiphery. The disk ll carries at the extremity ot its hub a 'fixedgear-wheel N. Another gearwheel l', of equal diameter, is ixedly securedto the stationary disk B and stands in the same axial line with the gearN, ilXed to thehul) ot the wheel B. A pinion O,loosely mounted upon therevolublc wheel K, engages both of said gears B'. 'lhcre beingaslightlygreater' num ber oi`- teeth on the stationary gear l' than on therevoluhle gear N the rotation ot' the wheel K causes the pinion O toroll in the teeth of the statim'iary gear B' and thus advance the disk)l through the medium oi. its gear N a distance proportionate to thedifference in the numbers of the teeth on said gears B' i\`, theprinciple being, as above, that of the differential gear. Anindicator-hand K' is mounted on the hub oi the revoluble wheel K.

The device in the drawings is so designed that one revolution of thering F causes one revolution ot' the shaft G and the indicatorhand G andone-'lit'tieth ot' a revolution of the wheel K and hand K', the ratiobetween the gears .I and K being forty-nixle to iiit'ty, respectively.

One revolution ot the gear K causes onetwent-ieth oi' a revolution ofthe disk M, the ratio between the gears N and l5 being twenty totwenty-one, respectively. It should be understood, however, that myinvention is not confined to any particular ratio of gearing.

The indicator-balais G and K' move from left to right over asuitahly-graduated scale on the iixed disk li, while the disk M carriesa suitably-grad uated scale thereon and moves t'rom right to lett, thescale on the disk M being read with relation to any tixed point adjacentthereto, such as indicated by m. The particular advantage in causing theinternal dial M to move i'rom right to left is the t'actthat it permitsthe numerals on said dial to be arranged around the periphery of thesame in the ordinary manner, thus obviating i any confusion in readingthe same.

As mentioned hereinbefore, the indicatorhand G is adapted to b'emanually moved at will in either direction. It is not desirable,however, that the hand K should be capable of any manual movement in aforward direction, and to prevent this I provide the hand li with ahuh-ring 7:, having an opening preferably slightly smaller than the hubof wheel K. This hub-ring /t' is split, as shown, at a point closelyadjacent to the butt of the hand K', and is desigiied to titspring-tight on said hub. A metallic washer It is placed over the squareportion oi' the shaft G, so as to revolve therewith, and stands betweenthe hands K a nd G', and has downwardly-inclined springblades r ot anydesired number adapted to impingc against the edge 71:3 ot the hand K.IVhen it is desired to manually reset both indicator-hands to zero, thehand G 'lirst lturned from right to left by means ot' the head g, and asit is turned the downwardly-inelined spring-blades v engage the hand K',as described, moving it in the same direction (right to lett) toward thezero-mark, the split hub oli' said hand K tending to open at the pointo'if separation, thus increasing its internal diameter and permitting itto move 'freely in that direction on its hub. `lVhen the hand K' reachesthe Zero-mark, the lmovement oli' the hand G is reversed, it being thenmoved in a complete circle :from leii't to right, thus bringing bothhands to the Zero-mark. During the movement ot' the hand G trom let't toright the hub ot' the hand K clutches its supporting-shaft and remainsstationary. rlhe movement ot' the hand G l'rom lel't to right is easilyeffected, as the inclined sl'iring-blades v' readily ride over thesurface of the hub /.f, which, it' desirable, may also be provided withthe inclined face 7J", as shown.

In the ordinary operation of the device both hands move in the samedirection, the hand G' being permitted to move at a much li: ster pacethan the hand K', the incline ot the spring-blades being in a directionsuch to permit the increased speed of the hand G'.

In reading the eyclometer-:lace shown in Fig. l the dial and pointersindicate that the rider has traversed a distance ol and twenty-threetiftieths otl a mile, thus illustrating how the cyclometer .registers toa niccty t-he exact distance. The stationary dial l is divided intopoints, cach representing a twenty-fifth oi a mile as regards the handG', while as regards the hand K' each point represents two miles.Obviously the number ol' points may be increased or diminished, asdesired. The revoluble dial )I is shown as divided into t'orty points,each representing twenty-live miles. Thus the dial M registers a totaldistance traveled of one thousand miles and then repeats, so that whilethc rider may at any time reset the hands K' G Ato zero the resetting otsaid hands will not dist-urb the position of the dial M, which performsthe i function of a total adder, registering the entire distancetraveled from the time when the cyclometer was ,ii rst attached to thevehicle.

Obviously in carrying out my invention some changes in the particularconstruction and arrangement shown and described may be made, and Iwould therefore `have it nndersteod thatl do not limit myseli' to thespecitic form and arrangement shown, but hold myself at liberty to makesuch changes as are fairly within the spirit and scope ot' my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters latent, is-

l. In acyelometer, a revoluble ring, across- ICO head carried thereby, arevoluble arbor G moved by said cross-head, and an indicatinghandcarried by said revoluble arbor, a pinion carried by-said cross-head,said pinion gearingwith a ixed wheel, and arevoluble Wheel, saidrevoluble wheel being loosely supported upon said revoluble arbor, agreater number of teeth on one of said Wheels than on the other, anindicating-hand carried by the hub of said revoluble Wheel, and astationary graduated dial.

2. In a cyclometera revoluble ring, a crosshead carried thereby, a4shaft frictionally journaled in said cross-head, an indicatinghand G'carried by said shaft, a pinion carried by said crosshead, said piniongearing with a fixed Wheel and a revoluble Wheel, a greater number ofteeth on one ofsaid Wheels than on the other, an indicating-hand Klcarried by the hub of said revoluble Wheel, said hand K being free torevolve on its hub in one direction and carried by the hub in theopposite direction, a Washer having springblades and carried by thefrictionally-mounted shaft, said spring-blades engaging and turning thehand K on its hub when revolved in one direction, and movingindependently thereof when revolved in the opposite direction.

3. In a cyclometer a revoluble ratchet-ring, means as described forintermittently moving said ratchet-ring in one direction, a crossheadcarried bysaid ratchet-ring, a shaft frictionally journaled in saidcross-head, an indicating-hand Gr carried by said shaft, a pinioncarried by said cross-head, said pinion gearing with a fixed wheel and arevoluble Wheel, a greater number of teeth on one of said Wheels than onthe other, an indicatinghand K carried by the hub of said revolubleWheel` said hand K being free to revolve on its hub in one direction andcarried thereby in the opposite direction, and means as described forcausing said hands K and G to be manually moved to Zero, and astationary graduated dial.

4. In a cyclometer a revoluble ring, a cross- I head carried thereby, ashaft frictionally journaled in said cross-head, an indicatinghand Gcarried by said shaft, a pinion carried by said cross-head, said piniongearing with a fixed Wheel and revoluble Wheel to gradually advance saidrevoluble Wheel as the cross-head is rotated, an indicating-hand Kcarried by the hub of said revoluble Wheel, said hand K' having a splitspring-hub free to turn in one direction upon its supportinghub, aWasher having inclined springblades carried by the frictionally-mountedshaft, said spring-blades engaging and turning the hand K' when revolvedin one direction and moving independently thereof when revolved in anopposite direction.

5. In a cyclometera revoluble ring, a crosshead carried thereby, a shaftjournaled therein, an indicating -hand G carried by said shaft, a pinioncarried by said cross-head, said pinion gearing With a stationary Wheel.I and a revoluble Wheel K, a greater number of teeth on one of theWheels K J than on the other, ,an indicating-hand K' carried by the hubof the Wheel K, a pinion O carried by the Wheel K meshing With astationary gear B', and a revoluble gear N fixed on the hub of a dial Mand causing said dial M to be revolved as the wheel K and cross-head arerevolved.

6. In a cyclometer a revoluble ring, a crosshead carried thereby, ashaft j ournaled therein, an indicating-hand carried by said shaft, apinion carried by said cross-head, said pinion gearing with a stationaryWheel and a revoluble Wheel, a greater number of teeth on one of saidwheels than on the other, an indicating-hand K', a pinion O meshing witha stationary gear B and a revoluble gear N fixed on the hub of agraduated dial M, said hub passing through the stationary dial B, one ofsaid gears B' N having a greater number of teeth than the other,substantially as described.

7. In a cyclometer a revoluble ring, a crosshead carried thereby, ashaft frictionally j ournaled therein, an indicating-hand G carried bysaid shaft, a pinion carried by said cross-head, said pinion gearingwith a stationary Wheel J and a revoluble Wheel K, a greaterrnumber ofteeth on one of the Wheels K .I than on the other, an indicating-hand K"carried by the hub of the Wheel K, and a graduated dial B, a pinion Ocarried by the Wheel K and meshing with a stationary gear B' carried bythe dial B and a revoluble gear N xed on the hub of a dial M, said hubpassing through the stationary dial B, one of said gears B N having agreater number of teeth than the other, and means for permittin saidindicating-hand to be reset to Zero.

IOO

8. In a cyclom eter, an indicating-hand frictionally mounted, a Washeradjacent thereto and concentric therewith, said Washer having inclinedblades, substantially as described, to engage against a shoulder on thesaid indicating-hand when said Washer is revolved in one direction andfreely passing said shoulder When revolved in the opposite direction.

9. In a cyclometer a revoluble ring and means for moving the saine, across-head carried by said ring, a revoluble shaft journaled in saidcrosshead, an indicating-hand carried thereby, a pinion carried by saidcrosshead, said pinion gearing with a fixed Wheel and a revoluble Wheelloosely mounted on said shaft, a greater number of teeth on one of saidWheels than on the other, an indicating-hand carried by the journal ofsaid revoluble Wheel, a pinion eccentrically carried by" said revolubleWheel and meshing With a fixed Wheel and a gear carried on a revolubledial-plate, substantially as described.

10. In a cyclometer,a revoluble central shaft and means for driving thesame, an indica- IIO ier-hand Carried by said shaft, L erosshemljeurnzrled ou said central shaft, a piilieii earried by saidcross-heard, said pinion geared with L Iixed wheel, mid L revelublewheel, the latter being loosely mounted 'upon szrirl reveluble shaft, agreater number e1i' teetlren one of Said wheels than on the other, anin,-

(lieziingizmll carried by ille journal el' Suid,

Witnesses:

FRANK il. Hwieifuies, Gem'zm lL. BILL.

